Johnny Depp in 'Beetlejuice 2?' The Truth Behind the Rumors

The long-awaited Beetlejuice sequel feels like a project destined to never get off the ground. Rumors about the project have been around for years, as the occasional report pops up to get fans excited. But one rumor that is certainly not true is Johnny Depp being involved.

If you Google "Beetlejuice 2 cast," Depp's name comes up, alongside Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder. Google results like these are often mistaken and there are no legitimate reports that Depp is involved. The possible reason for this error could be that Depp has a long association with Beetlejuice director Tim Burton, which could lead Google's algorithm to incorrectly link Depp to the project.

Beetlejuice 2 has experienced plenty of stops and starts, but it felt like it was finally happening after a flurry of reports and interviews in 2013, 2014, and 2015. In October 2013, sources told Variety that Burton and Keaton were in talks, with Seth Grahame-Smith (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) hired as a writer. In February 2014, Keaton told MTV News he spoke with Burton about returning to Beetlejuice. Then in December 2014, Burton told IGN he was ready to commit.

"There's only one Beetlejuice, and that's Michael," Burton said in 2014. "There is a script, and I would love to work with him again. I think there is now a better chance than ever... I miss that character. There's something that's cathartic and amazing about it. I think it's closer than ever."

Ryder echoed Burton's comments in a 2015 stop on Late Night with Seth Meyers. "I think I can confirm it," Ryder said. "It was very hush-hush top secret ... but then (Tim Burton) was doing some press for Big Eyes and... he did an on-camera interview and he said, 'Oh yeah, we're doing it, and Winona's going to be in it.' ... If he said it, I can say it." However, she added one caveat. "I really don't know much more than anybody," the Stranger Things star said.

Then the news on Beetlejuice 2 just... stopped. In 2019, Burton told USA Today he no longer thought a Beetlejuice 2 would ever happen. It wasn't until February 2022 that The Ankler suddenly reported that Brad Pitt's production company Plan B joined the project at Warner Bros. It appears whatever Grahame-Smith developed in 2013 is in the trash though, as Deadline reports there is no script at all. No other attachments were reported. There also haven't been any further updates. It's going to take a lot more than saying Beetlejuice three times to get this movie going. Again, Depp's name has never come up in any reports about the sequel.

Beetlejuice hit theaters in 1988 and stars Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin as a deceased couple who haunt the new owners of their home with the help of the bio-exorcist Beetlejuice, played by Keaton. Ryder, Jeffrey Jones, and Catherine O'Hara played the house's new inhabitants. The movie was a big hit and inspired a 2018 Broadway musical and a 1991 animated series.